Cowen played in just a handful of games last season thanks to offseason surgery, but two seasons ago he had a major breakout with the Senators playing in all 82 games of the 2011-2012 season.

In the seven games he played in last year, he had one goal and averaged over 20 minutes of ice time per game. At 22 years old he’s got a lot of time ahead of him.

Now that Cowen is locked up, that leaves just two more major restricted free agents left to be signed.

New York Rangers forward Derek Stepan and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Cody Franson need to sign deals and both players’ teams have cap issues. Cowen’s new deal may not do much to help Franson get what he’s seeking from the Leafs.